Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← THE WETLANDS INITIATIVE

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by THE WETLANDS INITIATIVE.

Totals

Total revenue
$3,465,450
Total expenses
$2,723,493
Contributions and grants received
$3,279,517
Grants paid
$35,612
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$127,855
Other revenue
$58,078
Total assets, end of year
$12,709,496
Total liabilities, end of year
$553,054
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$12,156,442
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$2,178,214
Management and general expenses
$433,856
Fundraising expenses
$111,423
Program service expenses (Part III)
$2,178,214

Program services were 80.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $1,322,634

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $1,956,883

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $98,777

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $187,731 · excluded $187,731

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $53,400

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $0

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $53,400

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $53,400 · excluded $53,400

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $532,936

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $592,812

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities -$59,876

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$59,876 · related or exempt -$59,876

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $4,678 · related or exempt $4,678

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $4,678

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $35,612 · program services $35,612

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $182,587 · program services $143,974 · management and general $32,006 · fundraising $6,607

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,310,064 · program services $1,033,019 · management and general $229,645 · fundraising $47,400

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $28,381 · program services $22,379 · management and general $4,975 · fundraising $1,027

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $134,777 · program services $106,276 · management and general $23,625 · fundraising $4,876

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $110,124 · program services $86,836 · management and general $19,304 · fundraising $3,984

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $1,623 · program services $1,623

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $22,360 · management and general $22,360

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $63,376 · program services $8,010 · management and general $44,903 · fundraising $10,463

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $19,179 · program services $7,943 · management and general $7,285 · fundraising $3,951

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $68,401 · program services $61,561 · management and general $6,840

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $14,810 · program services $9,488 · management and general $4,932 · fundraising $390

  • 20 · Interest

    total $15,791 · program services $15,791

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $113,724 · program services $113,724

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $62,883 · program services $56,595 · management and general $6,288

  • 24a · Other expenses: CONTRACTORS

    total $169,389 · program services $169,389

  • 24b · Other expenses: SUPPLIES

    total $161,917 · program services $160,769 · management and general $890 · fundraising $258

  • 24c · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $55,995 · program services $20,825 · management and general $15,108 · fundraising $20,062

  • 24d · Other expenses: UTILITIES - PUMP

    total $31,412 · program services $31,412

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $121,088 · program services $92,988 · management and general $15,695 · fundraising $12,405

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,644,704 · end of year $1,354,251

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $2,603,017 · end of year $3,684,358

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $4,167 · end of year $4,167

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $42,972 · end of year $28,250

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $8,190,915

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $1,063,317

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $6,780,528 · end of year $7,127,598

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $880,492 · end of year $481,331

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $65,587 · end of year $29,541

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $127,338 · end of year $165,461

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $435,576 · end of year $387,593

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $67,510 · end of year $0

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $8,487,997 · end of year $8,352,276

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,903,046 · end of year $3,804,166

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO RESTORE THE WETLAND RESOURCES OF THE MIDWEST TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, INCREASE WILDLIFE HABITAT AND BIODIVERSITY, AND REDUCE FLOOD DAMAGE. THE WETLANDS INITIATIVE SEEKS TO CONDUCT AND SUPPORT HIGH-QUALITY RESTORATION PROJECTS THOUGH DIRECT, ON-THE-GROUND WORK AND BY FORMING LARGER PARTNERSHIPS TO DEMONSTRATE INNOVATIVE WAYS TO FINANCE LARGE-SCALE WETLAND RESTORATION, SUCH AS WATER QUALITY TRADING MARKETS WITH A FOCUS ON SCIENCE-BASED, ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS AND COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH PUBLIC AGENCIES, THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL IS TO DEVELOP RESTORATION METHODS AND MODELS THAT OTHERS MAY COPY.

Activities or mission (Part I)

TO RESTORE THE WETLAND RESOURCES OF THE MIDWEST.

  • Withheld by Nonprofiteer: this text may name a private individual.

    Expenses $1,838,449 · Grants $35,612

  • THROUGH THE "SMART WETLANDS" PROJECT, TWI IS WORKING TO SPREAD THE USE OF SMALL TILE-TREATMENT WETLANDS ON PRIVATE FARMLAND AS A NATURAL SOLUTION TO THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF NUTRIENT RUNOFF INTO LOCAL WATERWAYS AND ULTIMATELY, THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE ORGANIZATION PURSUES THIS GOAL THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH AGENCIES AND PEERS IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, OUTREACH TO RAISE AWARENESS WITH LANDOWNERS AND THEIR TRUSTED ADVISERS, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS TO BUILD WETLANDS IN NEW COUNTIES AND WATERSHEDS. IN 2024, TWI EXECUTED THE FIRST STEPS IN A NEW BUSINESS PLAN TO EXPAND THE PROJECT'S REACH, INCLUDING FILLING A NEW ENGINEER POSITION TO ASSIST IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING MORE WETLAND SITES. THIS ADDED CAPACITY LED TO FIVE NEW SMART WETLAND DESIGNS IN PROCESS ACROSS FIVE NEW COUNTIES BY THE END OF THE YEAR. MEANWHILE, TWI FORMALIZED SEVERAL EXISTING AND NEW PARTNERSHIPS TO BEGIN A THREE-YEAR, STATEWIDE COORDINATED EFFORT TO INCREASE THE USE OF ON-FARM PRACTICES FOR WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN ILLINOIS, INCLUDING TILE-TREATMENT WETLANDS. FINALLY, DURING 2024, TWI BEGAN FORMING NEW PARTNERSHIPS TO EXPLORE DEPLOYING THE SMART WETLANDS CONCEPT AND PRACTICE IN INDIANA'S EXTENSIVE FARMING REGION.TWI IS ALSO EXPLORING OTHER INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WETLANDS CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO THE FARM LANDSCAPE FOR CLEAN WATER. IN THE LAKE SPRINGFIELD WATERSHED, IN 2024 TWI WORKED WITH THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD'S CITY WATER, LIGHT, AND POWER UTILITY TO PURSUE THE USE OF LARGER, SPECIALLY DESIGNED TREATMENT WETLANDS ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTIES TO ADDRESS DRINKING WATER IMPAIRMENTS. FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE REVOLVING LOAN FUND COULD HELP MAKE THIS A REALITY, WITH POTENTIAL FOR IMPLEMENTATION ELSEWHERE IN ILLINOIS TO PROVIDE CLEANER DRINKING WATER. THE WETLANDS INITIATIVE IS INCREASINGLY PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING ITS WORK WITH A FOCUS ON THE POWERFUL ROLE THAT WETLAND RESTORATION CAN PLAY IN ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIETAL ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. THE MIDWEST'S CLIMATE IS ALREADY SHIFTING TO MORE-INTENSE RAINFALL EVENTS, LONGER DRY SPELLS, AND IRREGULAR SEASONAL PRECIPITATION PATTERNS. RESTORED FRESHWATER WETLANDS PROVIDE RESILIENCE FUNCTIONS THAT INCLUDE STORING PRECIPITATION AND RUNOFF, MITIGATING LOCAL FLOOD RISKS, RECHARGING GROUNDWATER SUPPLIES DURING DROUGHTS, FILTERING AND PROCESSING NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTANTS, AND PROVIDING HABITAT REFUGES FOR DIVERSE SPECIES, AS WELL AS SEQUESTERING SOME ATMOSPHERIC CARBON IN HIGHLY ORGANIC SOILS. TWI'S VISION IS FOR THESE NATURAL "SPONGES" TO BE ONCE AGAIN SCATTERED ACROSS THE FLAT MIDWESTERN LANDSCAPE.

    Expenses $339,765

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here. A text marked withheld matched a screen for wording that may name a private individual, such as an honorific or "in memory of". Most of what it withholds names no one; it is withheld so that what does is never shown.

Listed in Part VII

  • CHARLES T PICK

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • REBECCAH A SANDERS

    VICE-CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • PAUL BOTTS

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $182,587
    From this org
    $156,535
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,052
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $156,535
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $3,000
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,052
    Filer's total
    $182,587

  • LINDA M KURTZ

    SECRETARY & TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • CHRISTOPHER B BURKE PHD

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • EDWARD K CHANDLER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • GEORGE M COVINGTON

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • WILLIAM F DOOLEY

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • WENDY FREYER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ANNE GARDNER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • BYRON GOULDING

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ALLEN D GROSBOLL

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MARK D MAFFEI PHD

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • CAROLINE REPENNING

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JOHN W ROBINSON

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • STEVEN M RYAN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • CHINMAY SOMAN PHD

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • DOUGLAS F STOTZ PHD

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • CARL R YUDELL

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MICHAEL B ZEDDIES JR

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • GARY SULLIVAN

    SENIOR RESTORATION ECOLOGIST

    Total calculated
    $110,113
    From this org
    $110,113
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • JILL KOSTEL

    SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER

    Total calculated
    $108,342
    From this org
    $108,342
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • ABIGAIL MATTSON

    DIRECTOR OF DEV. & COMM.

    Total calculated
    $108,089
    From this org
    $108,089
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

None.

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
4 November 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202503089349303260

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.